"Brown’s well-crafted, beautifully written book enriches our understanding of Hamilton and the law-drenched political world that he shaped. It will be essential reading for students of Hamilton, the nation’s founding, and the history of American law."—Journal of American History
"[Brown’s] excellent book provides valuable insight into how the federal government developed and functioned under Washington and his immediate successors."—Bowling Green (KY) Daily News
"A fresh and instructive examination of [Hamilton’s] place in American legal history. . . a book full of fascinating evidence of the many small, discrete contributions he made to the rule of law, administrative practice, and American constitutionalism."—Review of Politics
"Since Hamilton deserves to be better known and better understood as a lawyer, we should be grateful for Kate Elizabeth Brown’s new study. Alexander Hamilton and the Development of American Law is a worthy contribution to the growing body of scholarship on Hamilton, and an important step in enhancing our understanding of his significance as a legal practitioner."—Law and Liberty
"Brown’s book is a fine contribution to the history of the era and makes the case that Hamilton believed in the rights of the citizen and that a strong central government, guided by well-delineated powers and the legislative process, was the better path to individual liberty and national security."—Arizona Attorney
"It is about how Hamilton transformed politics and English legal concepts about government, executive, and administrative power into working American practices and institutions. The primary focus here is on how Hamilton did this both as a government official, and more importantly, as a practicing attorney in the courts. The book covers topics including federal fiscal powers, legal neutrality, and common law."—Choice
“Katherine Brown’s ambitious study of Alexander Hamilton’s statesmanship as revealed through “the lens of the law” is long overdue. Brown sees Hamilton as a father of American law and “recasts” him as a founder dedicated to solving the problems of the uniquely American system of federalism. Brown rejects the simplistic notion that Hamilton sought to consolidate all power at the national level and thereby restores a more nuanced understanding of his principles and practices. Brown’s groundbreaking examination of Hamilton’s legal legacy is essential reading for students of the American founding, of American legal history, and of Alexander Hamilton himself.”—Stephen F. Knott, author of Alexander Hamilton and the Persistence of Myth
“Alexander Hamilton and the Development of American Law by Katherine Brown is an important addition to the literature on Alexander Hamilton. Dozens of books have been written on Hamilton the historical figure and on his political ideas, but there is no book, until now, that explores his legal legacy. Bits and pieces of Hamilton’s legal legacy are found in various books and articles, but they do not come close to matching what Brown has accomplished in her lucidly written and well organized book.”—Michael P. Federici, author of The Political Philosophy of Alexander Hamilton
“Katherine Brown’s forcefully and persuasively argued book reminds us that Alexander Hamilton’s contributions to the nation included his work in law. He was a founding father of American law whose jurisprudence greatly influenced early American constitutionalism. Scholars generally regard Hamilton as a relentless defender of strong central government, but Brown makes the case for Hamilton’s more balanced federalism and his introduction of the doctrine of corresponding powers. Although he regarded law as an instrument of republican statecraft and is rightly known for his public lawmaking role, Hamilton was also an accomplished courtroom advocate with a large practice. Brown’s work will restore Hamilton to the place he occupied in the history of American law.”—Peter Charles Hoffer, author of Rutgers v. Waddington: Alexander Hamilton, the End of the War for Independence, and the Origins of Judicial Review
